Georgian national Greco-roman wrestling team will have minimum five and maximum 6 representatives at London Olympic Games.  Today, Revaz Lashkhi (60kg) and Vladimer Gegeshidze (84kg) gained licenses from Begi Darchia’s team at Helsinki international tournament.
Last year Lashkhi competed at the tournament without any failure and returned to Tbilisi with gold medal. He beat Moldovan Maxim Mamulat in two sets at European championship 2011. After that he beat Croatian Tonimir Sokol. He lost the first set with European active champion Serbian Davor Shtefanek, but finally managed to win this match. Lasha Meskhi guaranteed license in final against Stig Andre Berge, who he defeated easily-2:0, 2:0.
Vladimer Gegeshidze could not win gold medal, he could not beat experienced Bulgarian Xristo Marinov. Before final Georgian wrestler beat Indian Manokh Kumar, Armenian Artur Shahinian, Moldovam Adrian Mokanu and Kirgiz Yanarbek Kenieev. It is already known that Georgian team will not have representative in 55 kg weight category at London Olympic Games. Kemal Kharabidze was trying to gain license but, he stayed beyond the quarter-final.
On Sunday Guram Parseladze will wrestle for the sixth license on Finn tatami.
As for 120 kg weight category, Russian Hasan Baroev also has not gained license yet. Champion of Athens Olympic Games and finalist of Beijing Olympic Games is not in Preseladze’s draw and as a result, they will not meet each other at this tournament before the final.

Otar Maglakelidze